The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-24
He Writes to Er-6os. Drew Complaining that His
Answers We're not Given fuiis-The Response
Where Mis- Friend Damages Him Again.

TALLAHASSEE. April .


the beginning Man he is likely to
again.
The interview THE PALATKA NEWS
correspondent had with ex-Gov. Drew
last Monday has increased the feeling
caused by the affidavits of Messrs. Drew
and Mann. as il let a clearer light upon
Bloxham's administration as Governor.
This interview called out the following
correspondence
EX-Goy. BLoXHAM To EX-Gov. DREW.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. /
L. \. SURVEYOR GENERALS OFFICE
FOR THE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA.
TALLAHASSEE, April 20, 1887.
Hon. Geo. +. Drew. Tallahassee:
DEAR SIR:-My attention has been
called to an interview with you by
the correspondent of THE PALATKA
NEWS The subject was the inter
view between you and myself. | have
read said interview carefully in THE News
of the 10th, and if you are re-
ported correctly, you present your
side of the case and not my answers.
This is also the understanding of Mr.. w.
\. Rawls, who was with me at the time.
Now, to have..a correct settlement of
the case, which | know you will accept.
IDT no TEfuHt. Il pro
pose that we have this matter brought
before the public as follows: You name
the hour and will secure hall. where
the public can have an opportunity of
hearing both sides. Insisting upon an
answer. L remain. very respectfully.
w. ID. BLoxHAM.
If no reply is received by 10 "A. III. to-
morrow. | will consider myself at
liberty to take what steps | may see
proper.
EX-GOV. DREw'S RESPONSE.
At IL O'Clock yesterday the following
reply was placed in Governor Bloxhams
hands. he having taken no fteps" Of
any kind:
ST. JAMES HOTEL.
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. April 2l, 1897.
Hon. W. u. Bloxham, Tallahassee:
SIR-Your favor of April Goth was
handed me yesterday. in which you refer
To an interview with the correspondent
of THE PALATKA DAILY NEWS, and in
which you explain that your answers to
my objections were not fully reported.
| did not pretend to give the whole con-
versation that passed between you and
myself. but its principal points. This in
terview referred to was sought by your
self. and | had no idea of having it
tainly did not through mel. and
the report as it first appeared
i'm the Times Union was so manifestly
un lust to me that Mr.. Rawls wrote me
an apologetic letter in which he refers to
the injustice done me. and said he had
taken steps Ia have il corrected. but my
friends insist that neither the first re-
port nor the attempted correction in the
Times Onion have done me justice. If
IL
was for the want of memory and not by
intention. as | do not desire to do You
any Injustice. and would most gladly
see your answers in print i'm your own
language.
You further invite me to meet YOU
i'm public discussion. which l respect
fully decline. for the reason that |
am not "A candidate for any pub
lie office i'm the gift of the Legisla-
ture or the people of Florida, and
hence do not feel that j am called upon
to define my position; but | hold that
every private citizen has a right to criti
else public officers, particularly when
they present themselves as candidates
for further preferment.
Respectfully,
GEO. F. DREW.
To WHICH EX-Gov. BLoXHAM ANSWERS !:
TALLAHASSEE, April %. 1887.
Hon. Geo. F. Drew, Tallahassee:
DEAR SIR-Iour letter of the 2lst inst.
to hand. | made the request at our first
interview, in presence of Mr.. Rawls and
Col. Scott. that / wonld be gratified if
we could select "A committee and let us
both appear before it. You said it was
not necessary. Seeing that you had re-
peated the charges in an interview.
wrote you asking that we might meet
in public as you had declined to meet a
committee of citizens. and / would an
swer your questions; this you have de-
clined. You are here where the
records and evidences could all
be- at hand. yet. pretending To seek the
truth. YOU decline to meet me. either be-
fore "A committee of citizens or public
meeting of citizens. but politely inform
me that YOU would be glad to see my
answers in writing. A large number of
those answers are in the records in the
Capital. and YOU can see them. and in
the speech | made in the campaign of
1884. which was extensively published
and never answered. | do not propose
to publish pamphlet on a subject long
since threadbare. You refer to Mr..
Rawls' ''apologetic letter. | saw the
letter. and it was simply an effort to ar
rest an injustice which Mr.. Rawls felt
had been done. both to you and myself
now pronounce each and every one
of YOUR material charges absolutely nm
true. and while it is in law your duty.
having made them, To prove them, yet /
will go anywhere, at any convenient
time. and demonstrate your Incorrect
ness. before any committee or meeting
that can be selected. Should / secure
the meeting, there are many matters in
YOUR private statements and record that
| may BE- brought to light, aside from the
| fact that you tried TO get Mr.. Pope to
come down in the Gubernatorial cam
paign of 1884. i'm order that you might
| take his place and endeavor to defeat
Governor Perry. Very Respectfully,
w. ID. BLoxHAM.
AN IMPORTANT AFFIDAVIT.
The following affidavit of Private Sec
| retary Augur is valuable in this connec-
I ton. The reader will notice that if Mr..
Dougherty was at all surprised at the
1 charge that bargain existed between
ex-Gov. BIoxham andC. III. Jones, after
the publication of the affidavits of Messrs
Drew and Mann, his surprise was ante
dated by his belief that sucha bargain
existed. This is the affidavit referred
to:
[CoPY.l
State of Florida Duval County:
Personally came before me William
G. Augur. to me well known. who being
duly sworn, deposss and says: l am tLs